Pasco County commissioners said Oct. 7 they pressed Florida Department of Education officials over a dispute about equipment provided through a Peacock grant to the county's AMSkills training program, and county leaders said the state indicated it might remove that equipment from some grants.

Chairman Starkey reported she and county staff met with Department of Education officials after the department told the county it believed some grant equipment had been used incorrectly. Starkey said the department’s database listed only one completed pre-apprentice when the county had records of 12 completed pre-apprentice certificates.

“We met with those 2 gentlemen and they told us they absolutely love our program and that if we apply for another grant, we will get first in line,” Starkey said, recounting the meeting. She added the department was nevertheless “thinking they wanna take this equipment away from some of these specific grants, which actually takes all the equipment out of Anclote High School and leaves 130 kids with no equipment.”

Starkey said the county presented paperwork showing approved equipment placements and that state officials had previously signed off on equipment going to Anclote High School, but the state later flagged use as incorrect. She said county staff are continuing to press the state and that she informed John Lehi of the situation.

Commissioners and staff discussed program history: COVID-related interruptions closed prior training space at Marchman, delaying apprenticeships and displacing equipment while the county found a new training facility. Starkey and other commissioners described the program as effective in creating jobs and training opportunities and said they would continue to advocate to keep the equipment in place.

The transcript does not record a formal board directive or vote on the matter; commissioners described the meetings with state officials and said follow-up is ongoing.